Chapter Sixty-Six: A Stinging Slap (Part One)

I sat silently in the car the entire way, not saying a single word, for there was truly nothing left for me to say to Zhang Hansheng. Since he clearly no longer remembered me, I had no desire to remind him now. I was seated in the back, and from the protective talisman I wore, the little girl’s spirit seemed reluctant to remain hidden; she darted out and settled beside me, whispering her story into my ear.

She and her mother, as it turned out, had both perished during the Eight-Nation Alliance’s invasion of China. Because their deaths were unjust and their allotted lifespans not yet complete, they were unable to enter the City of Ghosts after dying. With nowhere else to go, their spirits lingered in the modern city, wandering as lonely ghosts for years until recently, when they found their way to Shuigui Street and made their home there. As I listened to her recount these years of drifting, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow.

Life in this world is truly harsh; even becoming a ghost offers no guarantee of peace. None of us know what tomorrow will bring. If the future is destined to be uncertain, then perhaps we should simply strive to live earnestly and with joy each day—that alone is enough.

The BMW finally stopped in front of a villa, clearly the grandest in this exclusive district. Its prime location spoke volumes: my former boss, the owner of a publishing group, was evidently no ordinary man.

With a wave of my hand, I allowed the little girl to perch on my shoulder, choosing not to confine her to the talisman. I followed Zhang Hansheng into the villa.

The moment I entered, the difference in the air was palpable—this was the home of the wealthy. Almost immediately, a rotund middle-aged man bustled up to greet me.

“You must be Master Yang from the Longevity Agency!”

I nodded silently, taking in the crowd gathered in the hall. In the very center stood a crystal coffin, within which lay an elderly man dressed in burial robes.

Seeing my nod, the stout man grasped my hand with relief. “Master Yang, thank goodness you’re here. I’ve already consulted others, and they all say something is wrong with my father—he can’t be buried yet!”

It seemed this was no ordinary situation. I nodded again and, without wasting words, strode over to the crystal coffin.

As I approached and peered inside, a wave of corpse qi washed over me. It was clear at a glance that the body had been kept at home for some time.

“Master Yang, today marks the seventh day since my father’s passing. Master Chen said that if nothing happens tonight, we can proceed with the burial. But after I told him about the situation, he warned me my father might turn into a corpse demon.”

I nodded, just about to speak, when a discordant voice broke in.

“Yang Dong, why is it you?”

I looked up and saw, not far away, a tall, striking woman. It was true, Li Lina was beautiful—if one didn’t know about her sordid affairs with Zhang Hansheng in the office, one might think she was the picture of innocence. But I saw through it all. This was the way of the world: no matter how talented you are, shallow women care only for money and power, blind to a man’s real potential.

“And you are?” I feigned ignorance. As I spoke, the resentment I thought I’d let go of in the car began to resurface. Call me petty if you will—sometimes I am, and I’m no saint. Why should I, Yang Dong, be trampled on, subject to anyone’s scorn?

Fortune’s wheel turns; thirty years on the east bank, thirty on the west.

“Master Yang, this is Miss Li Lina, deputy chief editor of our group’s editorial department,” the corpulent man quickly explained.

I looked at Li Lina and gave her a faint, mocking smile. “Ah, now I remember.”

Immediately, sensing my derision, Li Lina’s sense of superiority flared up. She took a step forward, pointing at me. “Mr. Zhou, I know this man. He’s no geomancer, just a former low-level employee in our department. He used to seem honest enough, but now he’s resorted to swindling people!”

“Yang Dong?” Several department heads glanced my way, recognition dawning thanks to Li Lina’s reminder. Zhang Hansheng’s brow furrowed deeply.

“Mr. Zhou, don’t let him fool you. Yang Dong here is a nobody—a lazy good-for-nothing, not a master of anything, just a con artist!”

I watched Li Lina with a playful smile. To be honest, I was suddenly bored. Though she had climbed the ranks to become an insider in the publishing group, her mind was as shallow as ever—practically idiotic. Back when we worked together, I hadn’t found her so detestable. Sure, she’d often sneak off to the office with Zhang Hansheng for their little trysts, but at least she hadn’t been this brainless.

After her tirade, all eyes turned to me—even those who’d been feigning grief by the coffin now looked my way. Li Lina’s face radiated pride, as if to say: As long as I’m here, you’d better keep your head down. Others who’d known me before now regarded me with odd expressions, and Zhang Hansheng’s gaze was positively icy. Of course, I knew about his affair with Li Lina. If I let that slip to Mr. Zhou, both of them would be finished.

But I merely sneered, turning to Mr. Zhou. “Mr. Zhou, perhaps you’d prefer to handle things yourself tonight. I have other matters at the agency and will take my leave.”

“Ha! Running away now that you’ve been exposed?” Li Lina jeered, relentless.

I hadn’t been angry, but as I took a step toward the door, Li Lina blocked my path, her face triumphant.

“Big-chested and brainless, a harbinger of misfortune,” I spat, saying no more. With a single stride, I returned to the crystal coffin—covering a distance of at least three meters in one step. Standing by the coffin, I pulled out a talisman and, without hesitation, pressed it to the ashen, bluish brow of the old man within.

In an instant, the old man sat bolt upright in the coffin!

The entire room was struck dumb with shock.